Chemoenzymatic Buta-1,3-diene Synthesis from Syngas Using Biological Decarboxylative Claisen Condensation and Zeolite-Based Dehydration

A method for producing buta-1,3-diene (1,3-BD) by an amalgamation of chemical and biological approaches with syngas as the carbon source is proposed. Syngas is converted to the central intermediate, acetyl-CoA, by microorganisms through a tetrahydrofolate metabolism pathway. Acetyl-CoA is subsequently converted to malonyl-CoA using a carbonyl donor in the presence of a carboxylase enzyme. A decarboxylative Claisen condensation of malonyl-CoA and acetaldehyde ensues in the presence of acyltransferases to form 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, which is subsequently reduced by aldehyde reductase to give butane-1,3-diol (1,3-BDO). An ensuing dehydration step converts 1,3-BDO to 1,3-BD in the presence of a chemical dehydrating reagent.     

Novel thermo‐responsive semi‐interpenetrating network microspheres of gellan gum‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) for controlled release of atenolol

Thermoresponsive microspheres of gellan gum‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), i.e., GG‐P(NIPAAm) semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) have been prepared by ionic crosslinking and used to study the controlled release (CR) of atenolol (ATL), an antihypertensive drug. Interaction of the drug with polymers was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to confirm the polymorphism and molecular level dispersion of ATL. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated spherical nature and smooth surfaces of the microspheres with some debris attached on their surfaces. Mean particle size measured by laser light diffraction ranged between 34 and 76 μm. Equilibrium swelling performed at 25°C and 37°C in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer exhibited thermoresponsive nature of the polymers. In vitro drug release performed at 25°C and 37°C indicated temperature‐dependency of ATL release, which was extended up to 12 h. In vitro release profiles at both the temperatures confirmed thermoresponsive nature of the polymers giving pulsatile trends. The % cumulative release data have been fitted to an empirical equation to estimate transport parameters and to understand the nature of drug release. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Changes in carbohydrates and the activity of α-galactosidase,pentosanase and lipase during germination of groundnuts (Arachis hypogea)

The quantitative changes in carbohydrates of two varieties (i.e., red netal and HG-4) of groundnuts during germination have been investigated. On germination, raffinose, stachyose and verbascose decreased gradually up to 48 h and almost disappeared completely in later stages of germination (140 h). Glucose and fructose levels increased 4–6 fold; while sucrose content increased considerably throughout germination in both the varieties of groundnuts. The starch content increased about four fold during germination in both the varieties. The pentosan content was almost constant up to 36 h but decreased in later stages of germination. The oil content decreased significantly from 52 to 8.0%. The fairly high initial α-galactosidase and lipase activity in resting seeds, increased considerably during germination in both the varieties studied. On the other hand the pentosanase activity was not detected up to 36 h of germination but it appears to increase abruptly afterwards.     

On the designing of densely dispersion-managed optical fiber systems for ultrafast optical communication

We present some theoretical and experimental results which suggest the possibility of constructing a non-empirical methodology of designing optical transmission systems with ultra high bit-rate per channel. Theoretically, we present an average dispersion decreasing densely dispersion-managed (A4dm) fiber system, which exhibits many advantages over the densely dispersion-managed fiber system, such as the possibility of transmitting chirp-free Gaussian pulses at 160 Gbit/s per channel over transoceanic distances, with a reduced energy and minimal intra-channel interaction. Experimentally we present generation of a 160-GHz picosecond pulse train at 1550 nm using multiple four-wave mixing temporal compression of an initial dual frequency beat signal in the anomalous-dispersion regime of a non-zero dispersion shifted fiber. A complete intensity and phase characterization of the pulse train by means of a frequency-resolved optical gating technique is achieved, showing generation of transform-limited pedestal-free Gaussian pulses.     

Conjoint-analysis-based multiattribute optimization: application in acoustical design

The concept of customer preference, or product value, prevalent in economics and management science, is just beginning to be used in engineering design. This concept and the associated measurement approaches offer us a theoretically appealing way to aggregating customer preferences for multiple product attributes into a single objective function, representing total product value, which may then be maximized. Among these methods, conjoint analysis has emerged as the most popular approach in marketing to estimate the value that customers attach to different features of a product that can be at different levels. In this paper, we use conjoint analysis in a novel way to assess a product designer’s preferences for addressing a practical problem in acoustical design. We incorporate a designer’s preferences for reducing noise in a curved pressure vessel excited with broadband noise. The shell is part of a large industrial machine. The “product” here refers to a broadband vibration absorber(s) attached to the structure. Through direct interaction with the design engineer, we elicit his/her preferences for various alternative design configurations and specify an aggregate value function. We then apply optimization techniques, interfaced to simulation codes, to maximize the value function. We show that this method provides more economical designs compared to certain conventional formulations. We conclude by summarizing some limitations to this research, which point to several future research opportunities.     

Texture and residual strain in two SiC/Ti-6-2-4-2 titanium composites

Residual strain and texture variations were measured in two titanium matrix composites reinforced with silicon carbide fibers (Ti/SiC) of similar composition but fabricated by different processing routes. Each composite comprised a Ti-6242 α/β matrix alloy containing vol 35 pct continuous SiC fibers. In one, the matrix was produced by a plasma sprayed (PS) route, and in the other by a wiredrawn (WD) process. The PS and WD composites were reinforced with SCS-6 (SiC) and Trimarc (SiC) fibers, respectively. The texture in the titanium matrices differed significantly. The titanium matrix for the PS material exhibited random texture pre and post fabrication of the composite. For the WD material, the starting texture of the monolithic titanium matrix was ≈17 times random, but after consolidation into composite form, it was ≈6 times random. No significant differences were noted in the fiber-induced matrix residual strains between the composites prepared by the two procedures. However, the Trimarc (WD) fibers recorded higher (≈1.3 times) compressive strains than the SCS-6 (PS) fibers. Stresses and stress balance results are reported. Plane-specific elastic moduli, measured in load tests on the unreinforced matrices, showed little difference. This article is based on a presentation made in the Symposium “Mechanisms and Mechanics of Composites Fracture” held October 11–15, 1998, at the TMS Fall Meeting in Rosemont, Illinois, under the auspices of the TMS-SMD/ASM-MSCTS Composite Materials Committee.     

Multi-mode interference-based photonic crystal logic gates with simple structure and improved contrast ratio

We present a MMI-based photonic crystal all-optical logic gate structure for logic functions such as XNOR, XOR, OR and NAND with square-type lattice of Si rods in air host. Phase-based logic inputs produce intensity-based logic outputs with high contrast ratio. The calculated ON to OFF contrast ratio for the logic functions XNOR/XOR and OR/NAND is 40.41 and 37.40 dB, respectively. Further, it is improved by 11.53 and 12.46% for XNOR/XOR and OR/NAND logic functions, respectively, by reducing the back reflection with the introduction of absorbing waveguides. The structure in both the forms has a fast response period that is less than or equal to 0.131 ps. The size of the structure is quite compact with dimension \(6.4\,\upmu \hbox {m} \times 8.8\,\upmu \hbox {m}\).     

Multiple-Pole soliton interactions in optical fibres with higher-order effects

Abstract

We consider the Hirota equation which governs the propagation of nonlinear waves in optical fibres with higher-order effects like third-order dispersion, self-steepening and delayed nonlinear response. By using the Hirota bilinear method a special two-soliton solution is derived. We also undertake a special limit corresponding to the multiple-pole case. Physically, this special pair of solitons separates very slowly.